A proposed site for a police department substation in Barnegat Township was recently sold to Galaxy Rental Properties, according to an ordinance adopted by the Barnegat Township Committee on Oct. 4. The purchase price was $65,000 and was negotiated through Coldwell Banker – Home Connection Realty.

Last year, township officials purchased the building, located on Lexington Boulevard in the Settlers Landing development, for $60,000 with plans on converting it to a satellite office for the police department.

When announcing the proposed facility last year, then-Mayor Susan McCabe said the once-vibrant neighborhood had been plagued by crime problems, necessitating a greater police presence. McCabe, who is now a committeewoman, maintained her stance and voted against the ordinance.

Mayor John Novak said he first supported the idea for the facility, believing it was “an excellent opportunity to enhance police presence.” But earlier this year, he and a majority of committee members felt rising costs in other expenses such as health insurance forced them to re-think the issue.

Committeeman Frank Caputo, liaison to the police department, said keeping the substation was “not feasible.”

“We needed to sell the property and use the money for other areas,” he said. “In place of a substation in one area, it may be better to use roving patrols who can move from one location to another, since crime sprees can move in the same manner.”

During a public hearing on the ordinance, resident Jake Taylor questioned the legality of the initial purchase.

“You bought that building for a police substation, but you did not adopt an ordinance or a resolution to let the public know,” he said. —E.E